Collision Course
by KAthetomboy
Summary: A blaring horn, blinding headlights. Fear, a crash, the feeling of colliding with the asphalt. A desperate crawl, a man. Pain and then nothing.
1. Prologue

A blaring horn, blinding headlights.

Fear, a crash, hitting the asphalt.

A desperate crawl, a man.

Pain and then nothing.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1:**

Robin should've been back hours ago and Batman was slowly becoming more worried. He did have a tendency to stay at Mount Justice without telling him, but he had promised he would be back before dinner. That had been an hour ago and now Bruce was positive something had happened, Dick wouldn't miss Alfred's baked dinner if the world was about to end, _especially_ if the world was about to end. He quickly called the team.

"Yes?" Artemis asked in an annoyed tone until she realized who it was and blinked in surprise "Uh... Batman. Um hi. What-what are you uh, calling for?"

"Is Robin there?"

"Uh, no he left a couple hours ago, to meet you. You're telling me he's not there!?"

Batman took note of how worried she was, though she tried to hide it "Would I be asking for him if he wasn't?"

"Uh, I guess not"

"Hey babe, who are you taking to?" Wally called out before running over "Oh. Batman, what's going on?"

Batman did a quick observation of the two. _'Guess Dick was right'_ Bruce thought. Dick had been insisting that the two liked each other, but it was obvious _they_ didn't know it. Bruce fought the urge to smile and answered Wally's question.

"Robin didn't come home"

Wally didn't seem to register the words at first and just stared into space, trying to wrap his head around that sentence. When his mind finally interpreted the words, he started to type furiously until a blinking light flashed up on a map.

 _'The tracker of the R-cycle'_ Bruce realized.

"We're coming with you" Wally declared, with a tone that said _"You don't have a choice in. I can run faster than you can comprehend so your opinion doesn't matter"_

"Fine, but _just_ you two"

They nodded their heads in compliance and Batman severed the connection as the two turned to leave. He leapt into the batmobile and started toward the signal.

"Where are you two going?" Connor asked curiously.

"Nowhere" "Out" Wally and Artemis answered at the same time.

A small smile tugged at Connor's mouth. He had learnt about their crush a long time ago, even if they still didn't know it themselves.

"Try not to kill each other"

The two looked at him weirdly before walking into the zeta tube and disappearing. Connor let the smile break through.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2:

Wally picked Artemis up and ran them over to the site of Robin's cycle's tracker. He set her down and she nearly fell over.

"Woah" She said when the dizzy feeling left her "How do you do that all the time?"

"The speedforce is with me"

Artemis gave him an unimpressed look.

"You'll get used to it eventually" He shrugged.

"You carrying me? The speed? Or your idiocy?"

Wally was about to retort when the batmobile came into view. Artemis spun around as she heard the it pull up. An angry and worried Bat jumped out and walked over to the kids. He was about to speak when he spotted the damaged R-cycle. The two kids followed his eyesight and gasped.

It was completely mangled, along the side of the road, shrouded in darkness, with chunks of it scattered everywhere. The wheels were nowhere in sight, and neither was Robin. Batman felt absolutely devastated and for once his stare truly was emotionless. His brain temporarily stopped working and when it restarted, the first thing he noticed was the blood. It was in small dark patches along the road and pooled at the bike. Batman joined the kids kneeling by the mess.

"Robin's not here" Wally but his lower lip in worry.

Bruce fought the urge to say _'obviously'_ and remained silent as he turned to look at the trail of red on the road.

 _'Something_ _crashed into him, a vehicle most likely, or someone like KGBeast, and he fell off. He must've crawled back to the bike to try and get something, but where did he go? If a criminal ran into him deliberately they probably took him, but why would they? They could've just left him to bleed out. Unless it was to make sure I didn't get to him in time or for some other sick reason. If it was Joker, he's probably going to hang him from the top of the GCPD or something. Killer Croc would've just eaten him and I don't even want to think about all the other psychopaths'_

"Who do you think took him?" Artemis asked curiously "I know Robin's tough, but judging from all this blood, he couldn't have gone anywhere far, not on his own anyway"

"Could be any number of people, Joker, Bane, Riddler, Scarecrow or maybe just a concerned civilian"

Artemis nodded her head thoughtfully. Wally walked over from the destroyed bike, quickly brushing his tears away.

"Think he'll be alright?"

"Hard to say, when we have no idea who has him, and that's a fair amount of blood, chances are he's already-" Batman cut himself off.

He couldn't bring himself to say the word, as if it would suddenly become true. The two children jumped into the back of the batmobile. Bruce wanted to protest but he knew it would be pointless, so he just closed the roof and drove to the batcave.


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3:**

Batman was scanning the blood, incase any was from the captor. Wally and Artemis watched in a tense silence that had started on the drive over.

"Where are you?" Wally whispered, wishing Dick could answer somehow or better yet, not needing to ask in the first place.

"What?" Artemis queried.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud"

"I'm sure he's fine"

"What makes you so sure?"

"The fact that someone took him, means he was alive"

"One, he could have been then and died along the way or two, he was dead and some sicko wants to keep him as a prize, like Two-Face, or put his body somewhere public, Joker would do that and Scarecrow would probably cut him up and examine him!"

Artemis remained defiant "I know all about Gotham villains. If Joker had him, he would've already made it known, same with Two-Face, considering how much he hates Robin"

"What about Scarecrow? _Miss Psychologist_ "

"If he was using Robin for testing his gas, he'd probably let Batman know, to scare him"

"And if he was looking at his insides?"

"Then, probably not" Artemis answered quietly.

Bruce cursed quietly when the only blood belonged to his son. Wally ran over to the Batcave pantry and took some chocolate.

"Here" He handed a pack to Artemis.

She cooked an eyebrow but accepted it. The two sat against the cave's damp walls, eating chocolate and waiting for Batman to speak to them. No one kept track of the time but Batman finally approached them.

"Robin managed to activate the distress signal on his belt"

"So, he's alive!?" Wally jumped up.

"Yes, and I know where he is"

The two teens were in the batmobile before Batman even had time to register the change. He sighed when he noticed the chocolate wrappers littering the dark corner. _'Sorry Alfred'_ He thought before starting up the engine and exiting the cave.

"So where are we going?"

"A doctor's house"

"A Doctor's house? So a _doctor_ took Robin?"

"Unless some super criminal is using his house as a hideout"

"So, was he the one that nearly killed him in the first place?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Well I was just asking cause you're supposed to be the world's greatest detective and-" He stopped short when Artemis elbowed him in the side and shot him a look.

"He doesn't know anymore than we do!"

"Ow" Wally glared at her, but it had no effect.

Bruce listened with amusement.


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4:**

"You two stay here, I need to make sure this isn't some sort of trap and if it is, we can't all get caught"

The only response from the teens was a huff and Batman strode to the door. He knocked loudly and waited, putting on his best intimidating face. A middle aged man, with dusty brown hair and sparkling blue eyes opened the door.

"Batman!"

"Where's Robin!?"

"He's fine, don't worry"

Bruce relaxed slightly but didn't let the change show.

"He's this way"

Batman followed the doctor into a small room, with light blue walls and a white tiled floor. His vision settled on the unconscious form of his son. His face was so pale it was almost translucent, he was completely still and had deep scratches along his arms, with a small cut on his face.

Batman cautiously walked over and stroked his face. It was cold, even through the gloves he could feel it.

"How bad is it?"

The humanity in Batman's voice surprised the doctor "Not too good. He lost a lot of blood, he got lots of deep cuts all over him, a broken arm and some-" He stopped.

"What?" Batman practically growled.

"Some shrapnel lodged in his shoulder and torso"

Bruce winced "Are you planning in removing them anytime soon?" He tried not to sound too harsh.

"I was just dealing with his other wounds first"

Batman nodded his head in understanding "Any idea when he'll wake up?" The worry in his voice was painfully obvious, in his opinion.

"No, sorry"

"Dad?" A small child opened the door.

He looked about five with raven black hair and stunning cobalt eyes. _'A lot like Dick'_ Bruce realized as he glanced back at his dead looking bird.

"Yes Timmy?"

"The door" Timmy pointed out.

"I'll be right back"

The little boy climbed up onto the chair beside Robin and Bruce eyed him warily.

"You're Batman" He stated "And he's Robin" He spoke in a ridiculously adorable, childish way.

"Yes"

"Are you okay?" The boys eyes flickered to look up at him.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Cause your partner isn't"

"I'm fine"

"How will you be if he doesn't get better?"

Bruce didn't want to think about it "Not good" He replied simply.

"The city wouldn't be either"

 _'Pretty enlightened five year old'_

"No, probably not"

Timmy looked up at Batman "He'll be okay" He said before leaving the room.

Bruce sighed "He'd better be" He took Dick's freezing hand into his gloved one "You can't die on me Dick. I need you" He whispered.

An angry Artemis and Wally walked in. _'Oh no. Totally forgot about them'_ Bruce realized and silently cursed.

"You aren't the only one who cares about Robin, remember!?" Artemis shouted.

Wally looked terrified of her and stayed quiet. Moving to sit beside his fallen friend.

"My son is currently dying right now and I got caught up and forgot about you. Deal with it"

"Your _son?_. I never realized that he was- I'm sorry"

"Does whether he's my son or not _really_ affect your opinion? Because it doesn't change it for me"

"No, I just, always thought that he was you were his uncle like Flash and Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow"

"I think letting your sibling allow your child to go out and fight crime is insane"

"Well _you_ have trust issues, only thinking yourself capable of accomplishing the mission"

Wally paled slightly. She was challenging the _Goddamn Batman_. Was she _insane!?_

"Yes, I may have issues trusting people, but not in that factor"

Artemis was about to reply to that but Wally cut her off "Robin doesn't need you two arguing!" He hissed.

"Tim, I have to help Robin, I can't right now" The doctor told his son before entering the room.

A sulky noise of agreement was the reply.

"You'll need to wait outside" He told the trio.

Batman was about to protest but a look in the doctor's eyes told him it would be useless anyway. The doctor set to removing the shrapnel embedded in the young boy. It took about half an hour.


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5:**

Robin had remained in the care of Doctor Jack Drake for a week, with the team visiting regularly once they found out. They had been angry about not being told sooner, but too worried and sad to focus on that as much. The colour had returned to Robin's face, along with the warmth and the blood bag was no longer necessary. It was another three days until he woke up though.

His eyes slowly pried themselves open and he blinked the dots away before groaning when he tried to move.

"Ow" He turns his head to face his guardian, cowl up "Br- Batman?"

"Yes?" Batman responded immediately.

"Water?" Dick managed to speak through his dry throat "That's better" He said after having some.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like a truck rammed into me" Bruce noticed the smallest hint of Dick trying not to smile.

"What happened?"

"I left Mount Justice and on my way over, a car shot out at me but they didn't do it on purpose"

"How do you know?"

"I saw him, just before I blacked out"

"What did he look like?"

Jack walked in "You're awake!" He exclaimed.

"And you're the guy that hit me!" Robin replied in an almost identical tone.

Batman angrily turned to face the doctor "I think you failed to mention that" He growled.

"To avoid your misplaced anger. Someone cut my brake line, which is why I hit Robin and I am" He laughed wryly " _Incredibly_ sorry about that"

"Why didn't you take me to an actual hospital?" Robin asked, having finally noticed that he was in an average styled room.

"I didn't want to run the risk of them taking off your mask, if Batman had been there they wouldn't dare even think about it, but me? No"

Robin nodded.

"So how are you feeling?"

Robin shrugged, wincing slightly at the pain it gave his broken arm "I'm fine, I guess"

"You _guess_?"

"Well I'm alive, that's something"

Jack smiled and Tim walked in.

"Am I looking at a young clone of me?" Dick asked in a whisper to Bruce.

"That's his son, Tim"

"Tim?" Dick looked over the young boy and studied his father more before his eyes went wide "The Drakes!" He turned back to Bruce "They were the family we got a photo with at the circus! I remember holding Tim"

"Are you sure?"

Dick nodded his head enthusiastically, ignoring the pain it caused "I have the photo! They sent it back after my parents-" Dick's speaking slowed until he couldn't bring himself to continue.

Bruce nodded his head, knowing how hard it was for Dick to talk about his parents death.

"Anyway, that's them!"

Tim stared at Dick curiously having heard the entire conversation "I promise I'm not your clone" He said with a cheeky grin.

Robin's smile went wide "You know, Timmy, I think we'd get along just fine"

Bruce inwardly smiled as the two conversed and went to thank Jack for saving his son's life, even if he was _technically_ responsible for it in the first place.

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I wrote this all in one day, I know it's relatively short, but I'm not really a fan of long stories.


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